The symbol of the Swastika and its 12,000-year-old history The swastika is a symbol used by of one of the most hated men on Earth, a symbol that represents the slaughter of millions of people and one of the most destructive wars on Earth. But Adolf Hitler was not the first to use this symbol. In fact, it was used as a powerful symbol thousands of years before him, across many cultures and continents. For the Hindus and Buddhists in India and other Asian countries, the swastika was an important symbol for many thousands of years and, to this day, the symbol can still be seen in abundance - on temples, buses, taxis, and on the cover of books. The word ‘swastika’ is a Sanskrit word (‘svasktika’) meaning ‘It is’, ‘Well Being’, ‘Good Existence, and ‘Good Luck’. A Sanskrit scholar P. In Buddhism, the swastika is a symbol of good fortune, prosperity, abundance and eternity. On the walls of the Christian catacombs in Rome, the symbol of the Swastika appears next to the words “ZOTIKO ZOTIKO” which means “Life of Life”. By John Black Related Links
John Updike on the Universe and Why There is Something Rather Than Nothing wondered Stephen Hawking in . This inquiry has long occupied scientists , philosophers , and deep thinkers alike, culminating in the most fundamental question of why there is something rather than nothing . That, in fact, is the epicenter of intellectual restlessness that sets out to resolve in ( ). Reflecting on his many conversations with philosophers, theologians, particle physicists, cosmologists, mystics, and writers, Holt puts things in perspective: When you listen to such thinkers feel their way around the question of why there is a world at all, you begin to realize that your own thoughts on the matter are not quite so nugatory as you had imagined. [T]he laws amount to a funny way of saying, ‘Nothing equals something,’” Updike said, bursting into laughter. Taking a jab at the “beautiful mathematics” of string theory, Updike echoes the landmark conversation between Einstein and Indian philosopher Tagore , exclaiming: Beautiful in a vacuum! What a lovely conceit!
The LEGO Gender Gap: A Historical Perspective “Why does all the girls have to buy pink stuff?” Even a child can see something is wrong in our toy stores. The gender gap* that frustrates Riley in the above video does more than tell her which toys it socially appropriate for her to play with, it separates her from a whole realm of experience - masculinity. The LEGO Gender Gap: A Historical Perspective Last month’s splashy introduction of the new LEGO** friends line has stirred up a lot of controversy. 1932-1977: The Brick Era The LEGO Group started as a family business with the motto “only the best is good enough.” In the 70s we encounter the first LEGO theme marketed specifically at girls: Homemaker. The 70s also saw TLG experimenting with different types of human-like figures. 1978-1988: The Golden Era For a decade LEGO minifigs existed in a gender neutral utopia. The short-lived Scala Jewelry theme is a major deviation from the core LEGO product line. 1989-2003: Gender Ahoy! Paradisa is an anomaly in many respects.
Practical Wisdom: The Right Way to Do the Right Thing We Americans are growing increasingly disenchanted with the institutions on which we depend. We can't trust them. They disappoint us. And the disenchantment we experience as recipients of services is often matched by the dissatisfaction of those who provide them. When we try to make things better, we generally reach for one of two tools. This blog is an attempt to answer this question. The term practical wisdom sounds like an oxymoron to modern ears. This is what took practical wisdom. Why "wisdom"? Doctors--and teachers attempting to teach and inspire, or lawyers attempting to provide proper counsel and serve justice--are not puzzling over a choice between the "right" thing and the "wrong" thing. Aristotle recognized that balancing acts like these beg for wisdom, and that abstract or ethereal wisdom would not do. We've been working together on practical wisdom, and teaching courses in it, for a decade.
Brain Power: Improve Your Mind As You Age: Amazon.fr: Michael J. Gelb, Kelly Howell: Livres anglais et étrangers 10 Spiritual Symbols You MUST Know Spiritual symbols are everywhere in our world! In fact they’re so pervasive, it’s almost hard to distinguish- and know- about them all. Luckily, we’ve done the work for you. SEE ALSO: Understanding Buddhism: 10 Reasons It’s NOT A Religion Hamsa Hamsa is the Hebrew word meaning “five”, and is represented with a palm-shaped amulet and an eye in the middle of the palm. Used by many societies throughout history, it’s purpose is to ward off negative energy and the “evil eye”, a malicious stare that’s said to cause unluckiness, illness, or even death. Many religions have used this symbol for their own purposes, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. The Flower of Life This symbol could be considered king in sacred geometry! Said to contain all the patterns of creation in it, the Flower of Life is possibly the most ancient symbol on this list, used since the time of the Sumerians (the first civilization in the world). Yin Yang Pentagram Dharma Wheel CHECK IT OUT: Tibetan Book of the Dead Om
Why the multiverse is all about you - The Philosopher's Zone In general, quantum physicists don't have much truck with big conceptual schemes. But one of their own has broken rank. Christopher Fuchs tells Joe Gelonesi how a particular school of 20th century philosophy helps him make quantum leaps. Quantum mechanics can be tough to get your head round. It was something I had probably said many times. Christopher Fuchs is an exception. Fuchs holds solid physics credentials, however. He lives and breathes his specialisation, as instanced in extensive email debates and discussions with fellow physicists—interchanges running into the thousands of pages. The practical applications cause little bother, as Fuchs notes. Everyone seems in harmony over what quantum equations predict, but raise what they might be telling us about the nature of reality, and group solidarity breaks down. So what do most quantum scientists take away from their handiwork? 'Our universe is one of a very large collection. And the connection to William James?
Little Bird: A Beautifully Minimalist Story of Belonging Lost and Found by Swiss Illustrator Albertine by Maria Popova “There are no greater treasures than the little things.” Children’s picture books — the best of them, at least — have this magical quality of speaking to young hearts with expressive simplicity, but also engaging grown-up minds with subtle reflections on the human condition. Such is the case of Little Bird (public library) by Swiss author-illustrator duo Germano Zullo and Albertine, published by the wonderful Enchanted Lion Books. It tells the tender story of a big-hearted man who halts his truck at a cliff’s edge. The two have lunch together and, eventually, the man tries to encourage the bird to fly off and join the others by attempting a comic demonstration of flight himself. The humorous situation deepens the tenderness between the two creatures and soon the bird departs, the man drives away, and the story seems to end — but! There are no greater treasures than the little things. A lovely quote from an e. e. cummings poem graces the first page: Donating = Loving
Are You Living in a Computer Simulation? Many works of science fiction as well as some forecasts by serious technologists and futurologists predict that enormous amounts of computing power will be available in the future. Let us suppose for a moment that these predictions are correct. One thing that later generations might do with their super-powerful computers is run detailed simulations of their forebears or of people like their forebears. Apart form the interest this thesis may hold for those who are engaged in futuristic speculation, there are also more purely theoretical rewards. The structure of the paper is as follows. A common assumption in the philosophy of mind is that of substrate-independence. Arguments for this thesis have been given in the literature, and although it is not entirely uncontroversial, we shall here take it as a given. The argument we shall present does not, however, depend on any very strong version of functionalism or computationalism. We shall develop this idea into a rigorous argument. Writing .
How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day: Amazon.fr: Michael J. Gelb: Livres anglais et étrangers Numbers and their Meanings Powerful Sacred Jewelry and Talismans Masterfully Crafted by the Known Artist - David Weitzman Numerology | Kabbalah | Amulets Numbers and Their Meanings Fibonacci Number: In mathematics, the Fibonacci numbers form a sequence defined by the following recurrence relation. Zero Zero is a powerful number which brings great transformational change, sometimes occurring in a profound manner. Zero represents the Cosmic Egg, the primordial Androgyne - the Plenum. Before the One (meaning the Source--not the number) there is only Void, or non-being; thought; the ultimate mystery, the incomprehensible Absolute. Cultural References Taoism: It symbolizes the Void; non-being. Buddhism: It is the Void and no-thingness. Kabbalism: Boundless; Limitless Light; the Ain. Pathagoras saw zero as the perfect. Islamic: Zero is the Divine Essence. Zero Number Fibonacci Numbers History of Zero Middle East By the mid 2nd millennium BC, the Babylonians had a sophisticated sexagesimal positional numeral system. Greece Rome India
Algorithmicity, Islamic Art, and Virtual Philosophy: Thoughts on Laura Marks’ ‘Enfoldment and Infinity’ | Networkologies One of the most incredible works of architecture I’ve ever seen: The Hall of the Two Sisters in the Alhambra, Granada. The dome is composed of a multitude of tiny, pixel-like cells known as muquarna. “The universe is not dualistic, but folded, so spirit is separated from matter only by degree” – Laura Marks, Enfoldment and Infinity: An Islamic Genealogy of New Media Art (2010, p. 271). As someone deeply invested in using networks to understand a wide range of phenomenon, I was thrilled to see Laura Marks’ new book Enfoldment and Infinity: An Islamic Genealogy of New Media Art. How sameness can give rise to diversity: Interactive architecture that changes shape as you move within it, my own photograph, from the great mosque of Cordoba, Spain. Marks’ goals, however, are wider than an introduction to philosophies under-studied in the Euro-American world. Marks’ Algorithmic Ontology: Infinity, Information, and Image Marks starts off her work by describing her ontology of enfoldment. Like this:
New Collection Of 35 Creative Photos This is a fresh collection of 35 creative photos that will fuel up your creativity. When you are out of idea its always great and helpful to see some professional work to inspire you to do better.